Joe Harper

[marcus]

There wasn't anything like the difference in class between the two countries back then. Celtic were one of the best sides in Europe in the late 60's, and early 70's Harper certainly scored a few against us.

Some players just don't seem to fit some teams. At Aberdeen, and Hibs he was playing for teams who were winning most weeks, and creating loads of chances. Hibs played outstanding football back then, and resembled a continental side. I seem to remember after Liverpool beat Hibs 3 - 2 on aggregate in the UEFA Cup Bob Paisley saying something along the lines of "We'd all like to play football like Hibs, but unfortunately we have to win games" I'm not claiming that quote is word for word, but it's roughly the gist of what Paisley said.

Joe Harper solid short & stocky striker, liked him a lot although he did not reach his potential at Everton....

We all signed another Scot from St Johnstone who I enjoyed watching called John Connolly did not score many but was a good winger...

 

[The Celtic View]

Joe Harper solid short & stocky striker, liked him a lot although he did not reach his potential at Everton....

We all signed another Scot from St Johnstone who I enjoyed watching called John Connolly did not score many but was a good winger...

I don't remember much about Connolly, though I do remember him playing for Everton. St Johnstone were a good team in the early 70's. Iirc, they pumped Hamburg in the UEFA Cup.

 

[paultheblue]

...best debut I saw live was Paul Bracewell and he maintained the standard.

I agree with that mate we bought him before the 1984 charity shield and before the game I didn't really know why we got him but after the game realised that he was possibly Howard's best peice of business.

 

[larbert toffee]

Met Joe Harper at a sportsmans dinner up here about 5 years ago, he was disappointing and didn't even mention Everton which was a shame as I had been looking forward to seeing him, he was a decent wee footballer but jeez he's hard work as a speaker, Chic Charnley followed and got the party started.

 

[The Celtic View]

Met Joe Harper at a sportsmans dinner up here about 5 years ago, he was disappointing and didn't even mention Everton which was a shame as I had been looking forward to seeing him, he was a decent wee footballer but jeez he's hard work as a speaker, Chic Charnley followed and got the party started.

I remember Joe doing his co-commentator up here, and he was so boring it was unbelievable. He came across as a nice guy, but really boring, which takes some doing when all you have to do is talk about what's happening on the pitch.

 

[Alanbileysfeathercut]

Met Joe Harper at a sportsmans dinner up here about 5 years ago, he was disappointing and didn't even mention Everton which was a shame as I had been looking forward to seeing him, he was a decent wee footballer but jeez he's hard work as a speaker, Chic Charnley followed and got the party started.

I stopped joey in the street in aberdeen and he spoke about the toffees
And chic charnley should've been the greatest player ever .
Skillful beyond belief.

 

[Joey66]

He was possibly the one of the ugliest players we have ever had- he started off well - his argument was his asset was turn of speed and with club had him in the gym he claimed doing the weights to much. and he became all muscle which slowed him down -other reports was he was on the ale a lot- see bottom picture
when he arrived -
D.o.B:11/01/1948Birthplace:Greenock
Appearances:48 (3)Goals:14

when he was leaving -
This sums it up-
A prolific goalscorer for Aberdeen, Everton paid £180,000 for his services in December 1972 but his time in English football was not as productive as his Pittodrie spell.

A diminutive but pacy forward, he popped up with a number of notable goals but never really inspired long-term confidence and he returned to Scotland with Hibernian in early 1974. Overweight and unfit when he arrived at Hibs, Harper struggled to rediscover his Aberdeen-era form in Edinburgh.

Harper returned to Aberdeen under Ally MacLeod for the start of the 1976–77 season in a £50,000 deal and inspired instant success, the Dons defeating Celtic 2–1 (after extra time) to win the League Cup in November. By the 1979–80 season he was considered a veteran and no longer a regular in the Dons first team but his seven goals helped Aberdeen to their first league title since 1954–55. He left Pittodrie after only one appearance the following season.

 

[degsy]

Anyone on the forum old enough to have watched Joe Harper play for Everton? If so, how did he do for Everton?

He wasn't the slimmest of players, if you were being kind you would describe him as sturdy. In the early 70's the Celtic supporters used to sing "Harpers a barrel. Harpers a barrel of sh**e" to the tune of Roll Out The Barrell, but I thought he was a cracking wee striker, and I would have loved him to sign for Celtic. In my opinion, Harper would have scored a barrell load of goals, not sh**e, if he had signed for Celtic.

Was bought as a 6yd box sniffer type striker, by a manager in decline into a...lets be nice...a team in transition.
Bingham had him taking corners sometimes, was going to get on to a lot of those 6yd chances doing that.
Top bloke by all account, sometimes these moves work, sometimes they don't...not all his fault.
His own biog fills in the blanks well.

 

[davids]

I was very excited when we signed Joe as the team were desperately in need of someone who could put the ball in the net and he had a great goalscoring record in Scotland. He started well - I remember we beat Spurs 3-1 on his debut to end a losing streak and although he didn't score he was the catalyst for probably the best performance of the season. He scored in the next game at Chelsea and had a shoot on sight mentality that we really needed at the time. Catterick bought him but when he was taken ill the team went back into decline and Joe's form dipped as the chances dried up. I remember him scoring an excellent goal late in the season to help us to a vital win against Sheffield United which pulled us clear of the relegation dogfight.

Catterick left at the end of that season and Billy Bingham came in. Joe was chunky at the best of times but Bingham had them lifting weights and running up and down sand dunes which caused him to become even chunkier. He lost a bit of his speed and sharpness, didn't get on with Bingham - he wasn't the only one - and was allowed to leave and go back to Scotland. A shame really as he was potentially very good and I've got fond memories of him. I seem to remember he once laid out Larry Lloyd with a right hook in Brian Labone's testimonial match!

Remember his debut as you say he didn't score but did everthing else but,here is an except from an interview:


2/WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT YOUR DEBUT?

Tottenham Hotspur (Home) and probably the best game of football I have ever played in my life. Because I was so psyched up for it, I did everything apart from score. I hit the bar twice the post twice I set 2 goals up for Howard Kendall, I think we beat Spurs 3-1. I missed a penalty with about 15 minutes to go; I sent the keeper the wrong way and hit the post. I think I only ever missed 5 or 6 penalties in my life and I got a standing ovation walking off the park which was absolutely amazing and that set the seal for me.

Of course the next game was at against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and I scored in the 90th minute to go one up and unfortunately Peter Osgood scored for them in the 93rd minute to equalise.

 

[Emlynsqueakyvoice]

Joe Harper played against Ipswich (I think) when a fella climbed onto the church behind us in the Gwladys Street corner. We spent more time watching this loon goading the police than watching the game! I always felt that the team never played to his strengths. Long balls to chase were never Joe's forte!

 

[ST.DOM]

Only a kid when he was here, didn't like him one bit. One of the laziest players I can remember. He also described his time at Everton as the worst time of his life.

 

[BigMick]

He always looked like he'd been out on the lash the night before and smoked 20 fags, without having time for a wash or shave.

Might be true!

 

[Joey66]

The night after his debut he was in the wooky hollow or some club like that - getting goaded by a red comedian on stage.....

 

[davids]

The night after his debut he was in the wooky hollow or some club like that - getting goaded by a red comedian on stage.....

Freddie Starr is a blue.

 

[BigMick]

Too many of those shoot on sight efforts just had no chance of going in and so gradually his scoring record dropped off.....fatal for a guy signed on the basis of his goals in Scotland.

48 games, 14 goals - not great, but let's face it, he was in a crap side, HK apart. No-one was scoring goals, hence the signing of the Latch in the February after Harper left. Top scorer in 72/3 in no more than 25 appearances I would guess, fell away badly under Bingham when I suspect he let his dislike of the manager affect his form. He wasn't the only one guilty of that under Billy! I think the top scorer in 73/4 was Sir Michael Lyons with a meagre 9 goals, although they would all have been classics!